Sanjay and Craig: A Mindless Show with Redeeming Features
Posted 30 September 2018
Finally, after 5 years of attempting to watch this entire series, on the week of August 27th and August 31st, I finished watching all three seasons of Sanjay and Craig (Nickelodeon, 2013-2016). There have been factors that have been causing the delay of the completion of this series through the years such as episode availability. I overcame those obstacles and finished what I started back in August 2013. I don’t know why I wanted to finish watching this entire show, it was just something I wanted to do. There might be some solid reasoning in this review.
Nickelodeon’s Sanjay and Craig was just one of those mindless shows I needed in my life. The show follows the life of a 12-year-old Sanjay Patel and his pet snake, Craig. They go on adventures, use their imaginations, and eat wings and play video games at the Frycade.
The 5 best things about Sanjay and Craig
Here are 5 factors that make this show stand out from the other Nick shows from the same era:
1. Art style is similar to Bob’s Burgers
This was one of the main reason I became interested in this show as I was a Bob’s Burgers (FOX, 2011-present) watcher at the time (I still want to be. Haven’t watched in a long time and REALLY need to catch up on the episodes). The characteristics of this art style include elongated heads and stick-shaped noses. Lo and behold, I come to find out that the character designer on Bob’s Burgers is one of the co-creators of this show, Jay Howell.
2. Homages to old game shows
I liked how there were two separate episodes where the show pays homage to two of Nickelodeon’s classic games show, Double Dare (Nickelodeon, 1986-1993, 2000, 2018) and Guts (Nickelodeon, 1992-1996). To make these episodes even more special, they actually got the original hosts to voice themselves. I used to watch those shows when I was younger and I find it really cool how they acknowledged Nick’s past by making these episodes. These episodes gave me part of my childhood back.
3. Demonstrates good kid fun
Many people say kids these days are on their techno-devices too much. Despite the characters occasionally having their phones on them to check out popular apps or taking selfies, the majority of this series depicts the kid characters going outside, causing mischief, and most of all, just having fun. They’re even good buds with their favorite movie star who lives in a trailer park nearby, Remington Tufflips. What kid wouldn’t want to hang out with their favorite movie star?
And for this, I feel vibes of the old Nickelodeon show The Adventures of Pete and Pete (Nickelodeon, 1993-1996) when I watch this. That’s all because Pete and Pete’s co-creators Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi are the executive producers and writers on this show. They took the authentic depiction of childhood simplicity and wonder from Pete and Pete and brought it to Sanjay and Craig. I also noticed a cameo or two of Mr. Tastee (but with a different name) on Sanjay and Craig as well, a man with a swirly ice cream head selling ice cream.
4. Kunal Nayyar is on this show
When the show was new, I was also a Big Bang Theory (CBS, 2007-present) watcher. I thought it was interesting to picture Raj Koothrappali do the voice of Sanjay’s dad, Vijay. The Raj character was pretty funny in those days much like Vijay, who is also a funny character. Kunal Nayyar is a pretty good actor and voice actor.
5. Sanjay is bi-racial
Nothing wrong with that! In fact, this is a subject that needs to be positively portrayed more often in today’s media, especially in childrens’ cartoons. In fact, someone I know really well is bi-racial and she’s really cool (part Hispanic/part white).
What’s not as good
Since this show is a modern Nick show, there are a few things that could have potentially driven me away from finishing this series. While watching this show through the 5 years, I overlooked these shortcomings and only focused on the 5 good points listed above. For one thing, we have the unnecessary fart jokes. I guess some kids think these jokes are funny. I felt it’s not exactly a good thing to poke fun at a normal bodily function. Another thing that didn’t bother me as much but I didn’t particularly care for was the random loudness. Even though it uplifted me at times, if they overdid it in one 22-minute (or so, without commercials) block, it could get to be too excessive.
The Verdict
For a Nick-toon* that came out in this decade, it was typical but it stood out from the other hyperactive, non-relatable shows that Nick had at the time. The episodes were often mindless and mind-numbing but sometimes you need a show like that to break through a barrier of your realities in life and just have fun.
I will rate this show 3 stars. The childish elements cost this show two of the stars. The depiction of the kids enjoying their childhoods outside really add to the value. Makes me remember my carefree childhood and how great it was.
* ”Nick-toon” is spelled like that because it came out after 2007. After that year the quality of Nick animated shows started to decrease in my opinion. Had the show came out between 1991 and 2007, I would call it a “Nicktoon.” Are Nick cartoons still called “Nicktoons” or has that phase passed?
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